FURIOUS campaigners fighting to save Church Lawton Primary have called proposed education reforms “a farce” and say they will take their case to the Ombudsman.

Parents and governors have accused Cheshire County Council’s Childrens’ Services Executive of ignoring their suggestions to save the school and say they will prove their point by appealing to the local government watchdog.

Parents at Sandbach Community Primary, whose school was saved from closure by the committee, have now joined the fight to save the Cherry Tree Avenue school.

At a meeting at County Hall in Chester on Monday, Cheshire County Council ruled to push ahead with a full public consultation on plans to close Church Lawton Primary as soon as September next year.

Campaigners say there is no need for any more consultations and the threat of closure could cause irreversible damage to the school.

Governor and county councillor Roy Giltrap said at Monday’s meeting: “This is a farce. We have been badly let down and we will prove our point.”

Campaigners insist the council’s figures for birth-rates in the area and forecasts for schools admission are wrong.

Parent and action committee member Pam Nichols said: “If they gave us more time we would show them exactly why this school is vital to the community.

“We had a tiny intake this year because parents don’t want to send their kids to a school with the threat of closure hanging over it and that is only going to get worse at this rate.”

The council received 95 forms, 75 letters and a petition with 615 signatures against the school closure.

Villagers argued the school’s building, used as a meeting place for senior citizens and the venue of the annual village fair, is a vital community hub.

In response, Transforming Learning Communities officer Bryan Slater said: “The school was built to accommodate 210 pupils and currently has a capacity of 105. There were 68 pupils on roll in January 2008.”

He added: “Forecasts of future numbers at local schools show there will be sufficient places at local schools for the foreseeable future should Church Lawton close.”